The Washington Post today confirmed what for weeks had been
rumored: That Boston Globe editor
Marty Baron would exit Morrissey Boulevard to take charge of the Washington
Post - a regional newspaper with a
national footprint which, for a variety of reasons, has lost much of its
historic élan.

The timing of the move is tinged with a touch of Hollywood. Washington operates on a
two-year cycle, just as Congress does. But the quadrennial warp and weft of the
presidential election is the rhythm that matters most. The appointment of a
forceful talent like Baron at this particular moment reassures the imperial
egos of the scribbling class that the stars are still in the heavens.